Marlie Viljoen has been racing the 400 metres for a while, getting faster, but few noticed that until last week when she won the gold at the FISU World University Games in Chengdu, China.
It was the cherry on top of a brilliant season for the Tuks student-athlete. She has won 10 of the 20 races in the women’s 400-metres she has competed in. Finished seconds in five occasions and third three times. Only in two of her races this season did she not podium.
More importantly, she has improved her best time by nearly four seconds since 2020. At the end of last year, her best time in the 400 metres was 53.33 seconds. This season, she clocked 51.81 seconds, and she believes she can still be faster.
Viljoen won gold in Chengdu, running 52.38 seconds. Hers is one of only two gold medals South Africa won during the World Student Games. The Tuks athlete credits her victory to keeping calm, running her own race, and not getting distracted by what her opponents did.
"I warned my coach and parents before the race not to get stressed out about how the race would play out. I told them that someone would come hard at me over the last 200 metres but that it would not faze me. I had my race planned.
"With 80 metres to go, I knew I would win. Immediately, I was filled with a sense of relief, knowing that a year's hard work had paid dividends. It is hard to describe my emotions as I crossed the finish line. It was the first time I medalled at a major international championship."
According to Viljoen, there is no secret to her success. It all boiled down to long, hard hours on the track and gym.
"Over the last year, my coach, 'Tannie Ilze (Wicksell)', had me work to increase my speed and speed endurance. The hard work started to pay dividends from April onward.
"What helped was that at the start of the season, 'Tannie Ilze' challenged me. I had to beat her best time of 52.68 seconds in the 400 metres. If not, she threatened to have me start training to race the 800 metres. I am not a big fan of two-lap races."
For those who don't know, Ilze Wicksell was the first South African female athlete to dip under two minutes in the 800 metres. She did so in March 1983, running 1:59.39.
Viljoen makes no secret of the fact that athletics is, to her, one of the ultimate sports. Her biggest regret is that more people should take note of track and field heroes.
"Those who don't are missing out big time. What I love about athletics is that when I run, it is only me against the stopwatch. For those few seconds or minutes, no one can help you.
"Athletics is also the big leveller. There is never a moment when you can think I have made it; I will win. Anything can happen at any time. So you are only as good as your last race."
South Africa won a total of 20 medals at the recent World University Games. Tuks's contribution to the medal tally is 11.
The following Tuks athletes medaled at the Games:
- Gold: Marli Viljoen, 400 metres for women
- Silver: Kaylene Corbett, 100- and 200-metre breaststroke; Erin Gallagher, 50- and 100-metre freestyle; and 50-metre butterfly; Christiaan de Klerk, compound men's archery competition; Courtney Westley, single sculls rowing for women
- Bronze: Charne Swart, 800 metres for women; Chloe Cresswell (Tuks) teamed up with Nadia Gaspari (UJ) to win bronze in the women's double sculls; Thembo Monareng and Eckhart Potgieter (both Tuks) were part of the men's 4x100m relay team that won bronze
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